Mandatory climate reporting came into effect at the start of this year. It requires Australia’s largest corporations to disclose their Scope 1, 2 and, in the future, Scope 3 carbon emissions, as well as their future targets and plans for reduction of emissions, electricity, waste and water. Komatsu, a leading manufacturer and distributor of construction & mining equipment, is one such business now required to disclose these details.
Komatsu first started trading in Japan in 1921. Over the past century, it has grown to become the world’s second-largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. In Australia alone, it operates over 50 branches and employs more than 2,700 people.
As an industry-leading multinational, Komatsu is no stranger to scrutiny over its sustainability efforts. Over the years, it has set ambitious emission reduction targets, including reducing CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 and transitioning its facilities towards net-zero operations.
Project snapshot
Industry: Mining equipment
Channel Partner: Solar Australia
Equipment:
580 Trina Solar panels
3 Sungrow inverters
Payment Plan term: 5 years
As part of this effort, in late 2023, Komatsu engaged leading commercial solar experts, Solar Australia, to propose a solar solution aimed at cutting costs and reducing carbon emissions at its site in Rockhampton, QLD.
After assessing the site, Solar Australia recommended a 290kW system comprising 580 panels and three inverters. The system is expected to generate approximately 544,685 kWh annually, with an estimated payback of four years.
Given the scale of the project, Solar Australia’s Tim Dixon suggested that Komatsu consider using a Smart Ease Payment Plan to finance the installation. This approach would allow the company to avoid the upfront cost entirely and instead pay for the system over time through manageable monthly repayments.
“Smart Ease provided a tailored solution to match Komatsu’s requirements. The system is designed to satisfy all day-time kw demand at the location and has resulted in a 75% reduction in the site electricity bill.” – Scott Churchill, Director of Finance & Commercial, Komatsu Mining Australia.
For the Komatsu team, an even bigger win than the considerable energy bill savings is the estimated 551 tonnes of reduced annual CO2 emissions – a terrific achievement to highlight in their first Australian climate report and another step toward meeting their global ESG targets!
Start a conversation with Smart Ease and find out how our Payment Plans can help you meet sustainability goals and save on energy costs.